Tape feeding machine



Feb. 51935. c. G. MORTIMER 1,989,817

TAPE FEEDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 13, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I l i I I i a i! INVENTOR.

Feb. 5, 1935. Q MORTIMER I 989,817

TAPE FEEDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 13, 1932 2 SheetsSheet 2 Il llIl-rllIllliII'I/AY INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 5, 1235 UNITED STATS i ATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved machine for feeding tape. The machines are used for supplying gummed tape from a roll moistening the tape on its passage through the machine and .5 then cutting off" the tape after the required length of tape has been fed. The machine is provided with a handle for its operation, a forward movement of thehandle feeding the tape and the return movement of the handle causing the knife to operate while the tapeis at rest. It is desirable in such machinesthat a clean out be made to insurea firm edge for passage from the machine, otherwise the paper will buckle on contact with parts of the machine and the front edge will not emerge.

The object of the present invention is to provide a knife operating mechanism that cuts swift- 'ly and sharply even though the handle moves slowly at the start of its return movement. This acceleration is due to mounting of a spring which exercises increased power on the knife when the parts approach the normal position during the return movement of the handle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reservoir for the moistening roll, the reservoir being locked in position by a latch which insures the retention of the reservoir but is easily unlatched to release the reservoir.

Another object is the provision of an improved "form of apron which effectively prevents the splashing of water from the moistening roll even if it is rapidly rotated by quick jerking of the handle.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side view of a tape-feeding machine embodying my invention. Figure 2 is a view of the other side of the machine with the cover at the side partly broken away. Figure 3 is a central longitudinal section of the machine. Figure 4 is a top view of the machine. Figure 5 is a detail section of the spring connection that operates the knife blade. Figure 6 is a detail perspective of the latch that secures the reservoir against removal.

The machine comprises a casing having side walls 10 and 11 with a bottom 12 at the rear to form a well into which the roll 13 of tape is dropped and in which the roll rotates as the tape 14 is fed from it.

The machine is operated by means of a handle 15 which is secured to the shaft 16 which oscillates in a bearing in the wall l0.- The shaft 16 operates a feed roll 1'7 through an intermediate mechanism which may be of any desired type but I show the pawls 18 on the spider 19 which -is fastened to the shaft 16. The pawls operate a ratchet wheel 20 in one direction the ratchet teeth being on the inside rim of a recess in the gear 21. The gear 21 is in mesh with a gear 22 which in turn is in mesh with a pinion 23. The pinion 5 23 is secured on a shaft 24 on which the feed roll 17 is secured. The feed roll 17 co-operates with 'a feed roll 25 on a shaft 26. The shaft 24 has a pinion 27 secured on it and shaft 26 has a pinion 28 in mesh with pinion 27. This insures the rotation of the rolls 1'! and 25 to feed thetape between them. The roll 25 is mounted in a cover 29 pivoted to rod 30 secured in the casing. This allows the cover and therefore the roll 25 to be lifted to give access to the tape and knife when necessary.

The cover is also provided with a second idle roll 31 which rests on a moistening roll 32. The moistening roll is positively rotated by the shaft 33 which has a gear 34in mesh with the gear 22. The moistening roll has grooves 35 into which rest theends of the spring wire fingers'36 extending 'from the springs 3'7 coiled on and supported by the rod 38. The fingers strip the gummed side of the tape from the moistening roll 32. The moistening roll 32 is over the reservoir 39 which is in the form of a tray or pan and is removable. It rests, when in place, on a rod 40 "and is held from tilting at the back by a jaw 41. The front plate 42 of the reservoir has a handle '43 for moving it and this plate fits against the front 44 ofthe'casing in which there is an ,opening for'thepassageof'thezreservoir. The rear face of the front plate 42 has hooks 45 which catch over the bottom edge 46 of the opening in the case. To lock these in place I install a latch consisting of a wire bent to form a bail-like part with a cross bar 47 and end bars 48 and extensions 49 which latter are rotatable in the walls 10 and 11. One of the extensions 49 is further extended to form a handle 50 which can be snapped over a projection on the outside of the casing to hold it in looking position. A screw 51 with its slot extending vertically furnishes an excellent holding means for the handle 50. This feature of locking the reservoir in place is one of the novel features of my invention.

The tape 14 is cut off by a movable knife blade 52 which swings from one end as at 53 and cooperates to perform a shear out against the edge of the blade 54 which also serves as a platform for the tape 14. The knife blade is operated by a link 55 pivoted to the end of an arm 56 which swings on a stud 5'7 and is normally held raised by a spring 58. The arm 56 is provided with a pawl 'ward movement by the stop i the other direction.

59 pivoted freely on the pivot, 60 The pawl is free to swing upwardly but is limited in its down- I When the handle 15 is pulled forwardly a finger 60 on the shaft 16 raises the pawl and passes beyond it. When the handle is released the finger 60 engages the pawl and positively moves the arm 56 to cause the cutting of the tape and then passes over the end of the pawl 59. The arm 56 then resumes its normal position under the influence of the spring 58. These associated parts for the operation of' the knife are located on one side of the machine and the feeding gears on the other side. knife mechanism is operated by a novel device comprising a spring 62 fastened atone end as by the bar 63 secured in the casing. The spring at its other end is freely slidable on an arm 64 fastened to the shaft 16. Thearm 64 is shown as secured to the bracket 65 fastened to'theshaft 16 by the clamping action of the split end 66 and the screws 67. The end 68 of the arm 64 or other suitable means forms a stop for the end of the spring which is generally' secured to a ring 69 which is large and slides freely on the arm 64. The shaft 16 forms a stop for the movement in The shaft 16 also carries the handle 15. When the handle is pulledforwardly the feeding means is operated and the tape is fed from the machine. As the handle is pulled forwardly the arm 64 moves rearwardly and the spring which engaged the stud 64 near its outer end is slid up to the position at the shaft 16; It moves from the position shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure "'5. It therefore exerts less poweron'thearm 16 as it is nearer the shaft. i the reverse takes place. a point'in the swinging of the arm 64 the spring snaps from the position shown in Figure 5, the movement of the cutting mechanism is,

When the handle is released acceleratedand the finger 60' sharply hits the detent 59 and a clean sharp cut is "made by the blade 52. This is a second novel feature of this f machine. 45

I also provide a novel means for preventing rebounding of the handle if it is released and flies f'back. This comprises a rocker arm' pivoted at '70 to the machine and having a short arm "11 to engage thehandle and a' long arm 72" to engage a rubber or similar bumper 73. The rocker is loose The weight of the arm 72 modifies the return movement and the bumper '73 receives the arm 72 and the handle comes to rest. This is due to the short arm 71 and the pivot 70 being above the shaft 16 and the long arm 72 engaging the bumper below the shaft 16. The long arm 72 is L-shaped. The contact of the handle with the arm 71 and contact of the arm 72 with the bumper are in a line passing through the shaft 16. This feature is In order to-prevent splashing from the moistening roll 32 I provide an apron with two extend- 10 The amount ing portions '77 at the top and 78 at the bottom withan intermediate depressed part '79 which depressed part rests on the roll 32. The apron is providedwith side arms 80 which are'pivoted as at 81. These side arms may be spring pressed by hooking ends 82 of the springs 37 over them. Additional locating means may besupplied by the ears 83 which rest over the top edges of. the side walls 10 and 11.

. Various changes may be made in the form and proportion of parts of the machine without departing from the scope of my invention. I claim:- I

1. A machine for feeding tape comprising a feed mechanism, a cutting'mechanism including a movable knife blade, a handle, means for actuating the feed mechanism on theforward movement of the handle, a tripping means for, actuating the knife blade on the return movement of the handle, a shaft on which said tripping means is mounted, an arm on said shaft, and a spring secured to said arm in a manner that allows'it to slide freely toward or from the shaft whereby the leverage exerted by the spring is increased when the tripping mechanismis operated.

2. In a tape feedingmachine, a spring returned oscillatory handle pivoted to the machine, a rocker arm pivoted to the machine and including a short I arm to engage the handle, andalong L-shaped arm, a bumper placed tobe engaged by the free end of the L-shaped arm and disposed to be in a.

line passing through the pivot ofthe handle and the contact'point of the short arm and the handle when the handle is at rest. I g

oHARLEs-G. MORTIMER. 

